august, fin

Here is it, the completed August, just in time to hand off to my sister this weekend:

I'll spare you the close-ups, since I've shown them so often already.

Ah, the satisfaction of an FO. Now I have a checked blanket on deck, another on the hook and waiting, and a scarf at the ready. But I'm not feeling too eager to launch into any of them, since I know I am mere days from all that delicious sock yarn. So maybe a quick project, or a finishing touch on one of my many WIPs to kill the time?

At any rate, I doubt I'll be updating further until after Christmas, so have a cool yule and a very Merry Christmas!

good spirits

Raise your glasses, my friends, and toast the latest wine! This is our family's holiday wine for 2007. Like the label? It was designed by one of my very good friends, she's really got a gift.

Naughty or Ice, 2007, Private Reserve

See, now don't you wish you were on my Christmas list? Even if you don't get a knitted gift this year, you'd still get this rich dessert ice wine, with a hint of cranberry. Fa-la-la-la-la!

The edging is done on August and I am sewing on the star points. Pictures of the completed project should be available soon.

edging towards the end of August

I've finished all of the basic motifs and attached them, as well as weaving in thousands of loose ends. Right now I'm adding the edging, then I'll just need to finish the star points (they are already crocheted and just need to be sewn on). It's looking very nice, I really think it's a great blanket. I hope to have it completed and washed by this weekend.

I just keep dreaming about all of that luscious sock yarn I'll be getting Christmas morning. I can't wait. I know, I do have other blankets I need to get done. But I hope that the sock-making breaks up the monotony. I just found out that the next three blankets on my list are for girls... AGAIN. Fortunately the colors requested were not all pink and white (two are purple and white, which should be fun... haven't done a purple and white blanket yet). And this year, I'm going to start right away on crafting next year's Christmas gifts. Socks all around? We'll see.

Does anyone know if LYS's have after-Christmas sales on good yarn? Not just Christmas yarns, but regular stuff as well?

Also... does anyone have a good, simple, plain pattern for a knit hat, using 7 dpns and sport weight? My dad keeps saying he needs a new night cap, since the one I made him years ago is getting a bit threadbare. Sha-nay-nay, I'll be stopping by to see if you've got the pattern from your blog...

yummy yarn, warm hands

I so wish I had pictures for you.

I do have them, I guess, but they are still in my camera. I wish I had uploaded them.

Because I am SO excited about the fingerless mitts I just made this past weekend.

Strike that, let's share the pictures!

I used real 100% wool. I got it at yet another LYS (I am hooked, I told you!). I used this gorgeous self-striping wool that I can not, for the life of me, remember the name of.

I knit, rather than crochet, which I was a bit rusty with. Oh, I will have to post pictures. Because they are fabulous. I used size 7 dpns, and I didn't even get any laddering up the sides.

I've never made a knit object I could actually wear, this is so exciting. Oh, when I upload those pictures, there will be PICTURES GALORE! I may have to make a pair of these in every color of the rainbow!

Also, there is much progress on August. I'm thinking about adding an edging the pattern does not call for, but I have to finish the motifs first.

oh holy crap

Oh my. Oh dear. Oh my sweet Lord, Christmas morning will be here in a measly 44 days.


Despite crocheting all year, I have not one crocheted item to give this Christmas. How can one call oneself a craftster when nobody will be admiring my stitchwork on nobody's new scarf? Nobody's toes will be kept toasty in nobody's cute new booties? And nobody will be spilling hot cocoa on nobody's new mittens?

I do take solace in the fact that five children will spend Christmas night curled up with a blanket I made. They will wait for sleigh bells to jingle, and the roof to creak under the weight of eight reindeer (nine if you count Rudolph), all snug in their beds thanks to that soft blankie. Just like my own child will enjoy his sugar plum dreams from under his own. And that makes me feel like a craftster all the same.

There will be homemade gifts this year, but there's nothing yarnish about them. And that is the only hint I'll give in that regard, in case recipients are reading this post.

***

In other news, there is progress on August. Two strips complete, five to go. It's looking sharp.

Here's a closer view:

hookin' right along

August is underway! There are three motifs in this blanket - solid blue, stars, and shooting stars.

I did some of each so I could get a feel for difficulty. The shooting stars are the hardest, but all the star ones are kind of challenging. The points have to be crocheted and sewn on separately. Here's a close up of a finished star motif:

Now to decide... get the tough parts done with and then finish with the easier ones, or do the easy ones first so I feel like I'm making progress? So many choices...

But for a baby blanket, I love how unique this will be. No pastels or confetti yarns here!

So I will get a little spare time to work on this today, since Daddy-B is at the big game and its requisite tailgate all day. I also have to clean the house a little though, too. Company is coming tomorrow for a Discovery Toys party. So between baking cupcakes, cleaning, and watching over lil b, I hope to use my free time crocheting this little beauty. Although, it would be awfully nice to take a bath some time, too. Ah, priorities.

the end of october

Here she is, the bane of my existence, October.


And a close up shot:
As you can see, it was clearly the details that took me forever. From afar, October looks like a fairly straight-forward striped blanket. But up close, you can see the scalloped edging and the keyhole design. I'm really quite pleased with how it turned out. Afterall, the recipient will, I'm sure, see it close up more often than far away. And hooray, I managed to finish before the little girl arrived.

Now I'm set with the pink (for now) and will shortly be moving on to August, the shooting star pattern. Then, on to my three newly-commissioned works. But I'm not sure what those will be yet.

In the meantime, I'm keeping my hook warm with work on the new Checked Blanket. I tried to start the Relaxed Cardi but that just isn't going to happen. Anyone know a quick and easy crochet slipper pattern I could use Homespun yarn for?

oh yarn, where art thou?

Can I ask, why is it so hard to locate bold and bright colors in baby yarns? I finally found the two colors I need for the next blanket (this one is called August - it's a shooting star pattern) on the Lion Brand website, and now I can't seem to find someone who carries them. God forbid we wrap our babies in anything but pale blues and pinks, right? Grrr...

So here they are, Navy and Buttercup.

I only need one skein of the Buttercup Baby Soft, but three of the Navy. And yet... nothing. Perhaps, to Chel's point, I should join Ravelry. Maybe someone there can soothe my thumping, bumping brain (salud, Gonzo the Great) and help me find these elusive yarns. The pattern is so exciting, I can't wait to try something so wild for a baby blanket.

One strip to go, October, and I will finish you!